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Law of War

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Research Summary

Apr 15, 2025

Integrating Commercial Space Services into the DoD Architecture: Understanding Operational and Policy Implications

This summary describes highlights from a congressionally directed study exploring implications from the use of commercial space services by the U.S. Department of Defense on space operations and the overall policy environment.
Research

Feb 11, 2025

Operational and Policy Implications of Integrating Commercial Space Services into U.S. Department of Defense Operations

In this congressionally directed report, the authors explore the implications of the use of commercial space services by the U.S. Department of Defense, such as impacts on space operations and the national and international policy environment.
Commentary

May 13, 2024

National Security Memorandum 20 and the Challenge of Operational End-Use Monitoring

The U.S. Department of Defense's internal efforts to address civilian harm due to U.S. military operations should be closely integrated with the goal of increasing accountability in arms transfer decisions. Making conditions associated with the transfer of U.S. arms more explicit is an important first step in being able to enforce them.
Commentary

Oct 21, 2023

Sparing Civilian Lives in Gaza

How do you protect innocent civilians while conducting effective urban military operations against an enemy who is integrated into the civilian population and entrenched in a location's infrastructure? Despite the ferocity of the Hamas attack and the Israeli response, the moral obligation to reduce civilian harm cannot be ignored.
Commentary

Oct 17, 2023

Bridging Tech and Humanity: The Role of Foundation Models in Reducing Civilian Harm

Foundation models can recognize patterns and make predictions like human brains; however, they lack the subjective experiences, contextual reasoning, creativity, and embodied grounding that characterize human intelligence and cognition. While foundation models hold massive potential to limit civilian harm, they must be used to supplement—not replace—human analysts.
Research

May 9, 2023

Alternative Futures Following a Great Power War: Volume 1, Scenarios, Findings, and Recommendations

RAND researchers generated four plausible near-term great power war scenarios and assessed how they could shape the postwar strategic environment.
Research Summary

May 9, 2023

The Aftermath of a Great Power War

RAND researchers drew on historical great power wars to develop four scenarios illustrating how hypothetical wars between the United States and either China or Russia could produce unanticipated consequences — even for the state that is victorious.
Press

Aug 25, 2022

Response to Pentagon Plan to Mitigate and Respond to Civilian Harm Resulting from Military Operations

RAND Corporation researchers Michael McNerney and Gabrielle Tarini are available to discuss today's announcement by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) about mitigating and responding to civilian harm resulting from U.S. military operations.
Article

Jul 1, 2022

Civilian Casualties: Lessons from the Battle for Raqqa

The United States' emphasis on minimizing civilian harm in Raqqa, Syria, was quite clear and strong up and down the chain of command. But the way in which the U.S. military waged war in Raqqa too often undercut that commitment. The Pentagon asked RAND to find out what happened.
Press

Mar 31, 2022

Efforts to Avoid Civilian Casualties in Raqqa, Syria, in 2017 Were Considerable but Insufficient

U.S. strategic choices in the battle to liberate Raqqa, Syria, from ISIS in 2017 likely increased civilian harm despite considerable efforts to avoid civilian casualties by both U.S. and coalition forces.
Research

Mar 31, 2022

Understanding Civilian Harm in Raqqa and Its Implications for Future Conflicts

In this report, RAND researchers study the causes of civilian harm in the 2017 battle for Raqqa, Syria, and provide insights into how the U.S. Department of Defense can reduce civilian harm in future operations.
Video

Mar 8, 2022

40:11

Press Briefing on U.S. Department of Defense Civilian Casualty Policies and Procedures

Researchers from the RAND Corporation brief the press on an independent RAND assessment of U.S. Department of Defense standards, processes, procedures, and policies relating to civilian casualties resulting from U.S. military operations.

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